Student Government Association at the North Carolina's Elon University has voted to kick the Chick-fil-A restaurant off campus as they believe it is not consistent with the university's non-discrimination policy.
Pink News reports that the decision of Student Government Association to remove the restaurant made with 35 votes to 11 in favour of removing the branch.
Before the voting, the students from opposing sides put forth their argument justifying their stand with respect to the issue.
"Hearing two testimonials of people who've been through conversion therapy and seeing how that's negatively impacted their emotional wellbeing that brings it home," said Laura Lee Sturm Vice President of Spectrum, which proposed the resolution.
Spectrum is a queer-straight alliance group that consists of straight and gay students alike who said that housing an restaurant which endorses antigay sentiments does not fit with the college's inclusive policy.
As timesnews.com points out: "The company's food is offered as a choice in a food court in the university's student center. If it were to remain on campus, its food would be sold beginning in January in a new dining hall opening on campus. Otherwise, another vendor would be selected as one of three choices there."
Students supporting the resolution say, if other students want to eat in the same restaurant they can go to two other restaurants nearby, thereby having the option of eating at the same restaurant chain.
According to a university spokesperson Dan Anderson the restaurant on campus is on a contract basis that was made through Aramark, a food services provider. Hence, Elon can ask the Aramark to replace the branch with some other restaurant.
Following the Thursday's vote, the association is still pondering over the decision as to support the resolution or oppose it.
Under a provision, the Executive President of SGA, Darien Flowers can veto the proposed bill. But if two-thirds of voters support the removal, then the association will let it stand. He has until Oct.25 to decide.
Anderson said the ultimate decision lies in the hands of university administrators and the school president.
Two other North Carolina schools-Duke University and Davidson College-have shut down the branches following the controversy.
In June, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy spurred a national wide debate when he publicly proclaimed that everyone would be 'inviting God's judgement' if same-sex marriages are allowed, following which LGBT groups called for boycotting the chain.
